


A Challenger Appears

by Righteous_Flame



Category: Night In The Woods (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Conflict, Disassociation, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Humor, Mental Health Issues, Pictures, Post-Game(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-10-31 06:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10893720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Righteous_Flame/pseuds/Righteous_Flame
Summary: Revisiting a party, memories, an old friend, and all the awkwardness that comes with them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> While not a direct continuation, this takes place some time after my previous work [Not-So-Secret Ending](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10695297). Check that out if you want to see how their relationship started.
> 
> Split into two parts because it ended up longer than I thought.

The familiar old car coughed and sputtered along the familiar old road as it neared the end of a familiar old journey. Time has taken its toll on the thing, but it still manages to get the job done. Not like Bea had a choice, she and her dad don’t exactly have the funds for anything newer. Bea’s eyes (or _eye_ , rather) were glued to the road as usual. No way she’s gonna risk having to pay for repairs with their budget.  


“I am gonna dance my ASS off!”

“What you do with your ass is not my responsibility."

"You know you can't take your eyes off it, you _scoundrel_."

"...Not even gonna dignify that with a response. Besides, can you even dance?"

“Wh- You saw me last time! I was there!! Right in front of you!!!”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that what I saw could be considered ‘dancing’.”

“I. Am. Offended. Raving was like one of the few things I can do somewhat decently! When we get to that party, I’m gonna dance _with_ you this time. So you’ll have no choice but to witness my mediocrity!”

“Truly a fate worse than death.”

The city where Jackie was holding her party was finally within view. Same place it always was. If only it wasn’t so damn far from Possum Springs.

“Woah, I wonder if Bombshell will be there again? That’d be awkward…"

“Bomb… who?”

“That hot girl I met last time we came here. Never got her name, so I just call her Bombshell. Cause she is one heck of a _bombshell_.”

“Sounds like a looker. Too bad you got stuck with me as your girlfriend, huh?”

“Yup, guess I’ll just have to settle for you!”

Bea chuckled and playfully punched Mae’s shoulder. Well, it was _supposed_ to be playful. Those scales are hard as hell. She’s still not too good at the whole ‘playful’ thing. Still, Mae kept a smug smile, finally able to out-sarcasm the sarcasm queen.

“Heh. Asshole.”

“Haha… ow. Of course what I meant was I’ll have to settle for you, the _other_ totally hot girl I know!”

“Totally saved it. Consider our relationship officially saved.”

They continued with the sarcastic pleasantries until they finally arrived at the party in question. Fashionably late, one could see the festivities had already started just by looking at the strobing lights beyond the doorway. Bea pulled into a nearby parking lot. As soon as the engine shut off, Mae was up and ready to get moving after so long in a car. But Bea didn’t move, didn’t even unbuckle her seatbelt. She just sat there and stared at the steering wheel.

“Bea?”

“…This was a bad idea. I think I should just stay in the car.”

“What? Why??? I thought you loved these parties?”

“Up until last time, I was lying about being a college student. Now the secret’s out. Coming back after that... I might not even be welcome.”

Bea plopped her head on the steering wheel, letting out a frustrated sigh.

“Ah c’mon, who cares? You know how much stupid stuff I’ve done in my life? So much I’ve probably effed up stuff that hasn’t even happened yet! But people aren’t just gonna instantly hate you for screwing up. Well… _good_ people aren’t.”

“Ugh, I dunno…”

“BeeBee.”

No response. Just incoherent grumbling.

“BeeeeeeeeeeeeeBeeeeeeeee~”

Mae cooed as she rubbed her cheek all over Bea’s shoulder, much like a common house cat.

Still more grumbling from Bea as the cuddly persuasion continued.

“You’re gonna have funnnnnnnn~ And you’re gonna like iiiiiiiiiiiit~ And also I’m not going in there without youuuuuuuuuuuu~”

“Fine, fine, I’ll go. Tired of sitting anyway. You’re a total dweeb, you know that?”

“You love it.”

“…I do."

The couple left the car and made their way towards the booming music. Mae always insisted on holding hands even for short walks, apparently still very proud of the entire concept of 'girlfriend'. At this point Bea just accepts it as an inevitability whenever they go anywhere. As they approached the party, they saw Jackie greeting guests at the doorway as usual.

"Bea! Just in time! Party's about to really pop off. We got these bitchin' new speakers and subwoofers. Top quality."

“Nice, its about time you replaced those old ones. Um... by the way, you sure it's cool for me to be here. After that whole... fiasco last time?"

"Don't worry about it, girl. I explained the whole situation. Most of the party-goers from last time didn't even notice, so you're in the clear."

"Cool, cool. Thanks, Jackie."

"Oh, I told you I was bringing Mae again, right?"

“Heya.”

Jackie glanced down at Mae, still attached to Bea's hand. Without responding to Mae's greeting, her gaze went back to Bea.

"Oh yeah, yeah. No prob. Hey speaking of which, why don't you go on in? I need to catch up with Mae real quick. We'll meet you in there."

Jackie? Asking to be alone with _Mae?_ That's a new one.

"Oh. Uh, sure. Don't be too long, 'kay?"

She headed through doorway and was enveloped by laser lights before disappearing behind the crowd of dancers. Once Jackie was sure Bea was out of sight, she turned back towards Mae. Arms crossed, she silently glared down at the cat.

Mae stood there awkwardly for a few moments, waiting for Jackie to start the whole 'catching up' thing. When the silence continued, she decided to break it herself.

“So... how've you been? I've been pretty darn good recently. My life went from a pile of shit to a pile of mud. That's a big improvement! And also the mud has like a flower or something in it-”

"What do you think you're doing here."

Startled by the interruption, Mae nervously scratched her head as she attempted to answer the obvious question.

“I'm... I'm here to party! With Bea. My girlfriend. Did you know she was my girlfriend? Because she is. My girlfriend, that is.”

"Yeah. I heard."

Not exactly the pleasant response Mae was hoping for. She decided to hurry things along and end whatever the hell this conversation was.

“Good! Great! Glad that's settled. Well it was nice catching up with you, I'd better get in there with Bea and-”

"You're not getting in my party."

“I... what?”

"Last time you were here you ruined _everything_ for Bea! Just like you always do."

“I know but-!”

"She may have forgotten what kind of a person you are, but I haven't. I've known ever since I first met you that you were nothing but trouble."

“Hey! It's not like I forced her to date me! We chose each other!”

"And _clearly_ it was not a well-informed choice. You're a walking disaster, everywhere you go!"

“You think I don't know that?! I'm trying, okay?!”

"That's exactly why you need to stay. Away. From Bea. With all the shit going on in her life, the last thing she needs is you screwing it up even more!"

“Eff off!!! I... I'd never do that to her! We're happy and for once I didn't screw it up!”

"And how long do you think that's gonna last?! With your track record, you'll find _some_ way to make her life even worse!"

"If you really love her, you'll do what's best and leave her. You'll both be better off and you know it!"

"SHUT UP!!!!!!"

Mae's trembling fists were clenched as hard as they could, struggling to hold herself back. Her breathing got heavy. Her pupils contracted as she stared at Jackie in what can only be described as a murder-gaze. Jackie's last comment set her over the edge. 

A familiar and terrifying feeling washed over Mae's body. Everything in her vision began blurring together. She knew what was happening, but she couldn't do anything to stop it. In that moment, a moment that felt like an eternity, she forgot. She forgot who she was. She forgot where she was. She forgot why she was here. All she saw in that moment was some sort of grey... shape, surrounded by darkness. It was talking, but she couldn't understand it. She didn't know what it was. All she knew was it made her angry. Really angry.

This annoying shape needs to go away. It would be so easy. So easy to just rip it to shreds until there was nothing left. Then she would stop being angry. She wouldn't even need a bat this time.

But just as she lurched forward, ready to act on these alluring impulses, another shape appeared behind the grey one while it was still talking. This one was... blueish. It didn't make her angry. This one felt familiar.

"-so I'm not gonna let you hurt Bea again!"

"Ahem."

She loudly and angrily cleared her throat to get Jackie's attention. It worked, and Jackie spun around in surprise at the gator appearing behind her.

"B-Bea! I was just... I didn't-"

"No please, don't stop on my account! Do go on about how you're trying to _split me and my girlfriend up!!_ "

The familiar sound of Bea's voice jolted Mae back to reality. Her vision cleared, the shapes became people once more. She breathed a sigh of relief, realizing just how close to the edge she got there. But now a new scene was unfolding in front of her. Bea had some truly fiery eyes as she confronted Jackie.

"I come back to check on you guys only to find you harassing my girl?! Just what the hell is wrong with you?!"

"But I was-"

"You were what? Trying to play the knight in shining armor? Trying to protect poor defenseless Bea from making her own goddamn choices?!"

With each word Bea assertively advanced forward. Jackie, unusually submissive, retreated in response until she quite literally backed herself up against a wall.

"I was trying to help you!"

"I didn't _ask_ for your help! I'm not some goddamn helpless little girl and I certainly don't want your pity for my shitty life! I chose her and you better effing deal with it!"

"But- but she ruins everything for you! Constantly! Why... why _her?!_ "

" _Because I love her!!_ Big surprise right? Goth girl Bea actually loves someone! Get effing used to it!"

"I don't give a goddamn shit what you think of her. But here's an effing news flash. The only person trying to 'ruin' things right now is _you!_ I'm actually happy for once in my goddamn life. And I'm not about to let anyone, not even one of my best friends, ruin the _one good thing I have going for me!!!_ "

"..."

Jackie fell silent. She stared at the ground, unable to meet eyes with Bea. Mae was silent as well, feeling the best option was to let the whole thing play out on its own.

Bea's cigarette had fallen out of her mouth in the midst of all the yelling. She silently replaced it with another one from her pack, taking a deep breath from it to calm herself down, and exhaled a cloud of smoke before continuing.

"Now then. Are you gonna let Mae into the effing party or not? Cause otherwise we're _both_ leaving."

"...Yeah... go ahead..."

Jackie's usually bombastic voice was now weak and timid. With that confirmation, Bea grabbed Mae's hand and headed towards the doorway.

"...I'm sorry..."

"Yeah I bet you are."

Without looking back Bea stomped into the booming party, which was completely oblivious to the argument that just occurred. Mae followed closely behind, still processing what the hell she just witnessed.


	2. Chapter 2

The cacophony of rave music and party-goers made it hard to think. The couple definitely wasn't in the mood for dancing right now, so they made their way to a table near the back of the party where the music was less oppressive and sat down across the table from each other. Bea buried her face in her hands.

“Ugh... what a freaking shit-show that was.”

“Yeah. That was... unexpected. I mean I knew she didn't like me but... _shit._ ”

“I thought she'd be able to suck it up. Apparently not. I'm sorry about all that.”

“I guess her heart was in the right place... sorta???? She wanted to protect you, which is good. But she ended up being a total bitch about it, which is bad.”

“Mhm.”

“So... you guys gonna still be friends after this?”

“I dunno. We'll see."

There was an uncomfortably long period of silence after that. Both girls needed time to get themselves back together after that weird three-way fight. Mae started thinking about how close she got to beating the teeth out of Jackie, how that alone might have ended their relationship if Bea hadn't shown up in time. Imagine coming back from a party to see your girlfriend standing over the bloodied body of your friend. Would not have been easy to explain that one.

But just how close she got to that point made Mae wonder if there was some truth to what Jackie said. What if this happened during something really important to Bea? Like a... graduation ceremony or something? What if Bea wasn't able to stop her? What if she really was another disaster waiting to happen? Mae opened her mouth to speak, but Bea unwittingly cut her off. 

“Can I ask you something, Mae?"

“Wh- uh yeah! Shoot.”

“Why did you choose me? Seeing how Jackie treated you back there... it reminded me of how I treated you back when you first came home last Fall. I was in one of the worst ruts in my life. Then you came along. All happy-go-lucky despite dropping out of college. I had no idea it was because of your mental health. And I... I lashed out at you. I ended up treating you as a punching bag to vent my anger about my own life. Thinking about it now... it's a miracle you didn't just avoid me altogether after that."

She snuffed out her cigarette in the ashtray, watching the cinders flicker as she talked.

“But despite all that... you always stuck by me. You had Gregg and Angus to keep you company, probably would have been a lot more fun. But you always came back to me, always eager to hang out with my grumpy ass. And now look at us. Actually dating for realsies. So, yeah. After all that, why me?"

“Ahah. Hahahahaha, oh wow!”

Bea squinted her eyes. Giggles were not the response she was expecting.

“...Does my heartfelt confession amuse you?"

“Haha, no no. It's not that. It's just funny cause I was about to ask you something really, really similar! Except, y'know, about me.”

“But uh, anyway, about your question. First off, most of those times you went off on me, I super _duper_ deserved it? Like, I was a total garbage idiot. I still am, but now I'm a garbage idiot with a girlfriend! So I must be doing something right.”

“Second, that part of you that sometimes lashes out, calls people out on their shit. That's part of who you are, Bea! You've got a bunch of different pieces that make you... you! You're snarky attitude, your endless sarcasm, your protectiveness, your tender moments, your _smoking hot sexy-ass body_ \- ”

“Okay now it just sounds like you're trying to get laid tonight."

“Nooo, that's not it! Well- I mean it'd be a sweet bonus. I sure as hell wouldn't turn it down.”

“ANYWAY, that's not the point!! _The point is_ I fell in love with the whooooooooole Bea package! Cause if any of that stuff was missing, you wouldn't be my BeeBee! I don't want any of that perfect 'Oooooh look at meeee! I never get angry I'm just happy happy happy all the time! Watch as I frolic through the flowers!'. That's bullcrap, is what that is."

“I want you cause you're _real _, Bea. _Painfully_ real. Brutally honest. And I need that. _Holy shit_ do I need that. With my effed up brain, I need all the reality I can get. I'm just lucky as hell that reality comes from you.”__

____

“Phew. Holy shit that was a long answer. Anyways, I hope that answered your- mmphh!”

Stopping Mae mid-sentence, Bea suddenly pulled her face in from across the table into a deep kiss. After recovering from the initial surprise, Mae eventually closed her eyes and relaxed into it. They didn't kiss particularly often, mostly just offhand smooches here and there. But this... this was definitely a new one. And a long one at that. Their lips stayed locked for almost a minute before Bea finally broke the kiss. A pleased smirk was across her lips as she gazed at the equally pleased recipient of the kiss.

“Good answer."

Mae was still dazed from the whole experience, her head practically melted in Bea's hands.

“Hah... haha... glad you... liked it...”

“It was really sweet, what you said. Never pinned you for the romantic type. And you know what?"

Mae's head still cradled in her hands, Bea leaned in closer with a devious smirk and whispered in the cat's ear.

_"Maybe you really **will** get lucky tonight, Mayday."_

“I... oh... wow...”

Mae was speechless at this point, her heart set aflutter. Usually when she babbles like that she ends up saying something she regrets, but this time she actually said something right??? And Bea loved it??? How the hell did that happen? What universe is this?

"Alright, enough sitting around. We didn't come all this way to sit. I believe you have some dance moves to show me. You ready to party?"

“Yeah... Yeah!!! Let's rock!”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The party went on all night, but the couple was full of energy. They danced, they raved, they mingled. Bea shot Mae a death glare when she even so much as _looked_ at the bar. Finally, a normal party experience. It was well past midnight when the party began to wind down. Jackie is usually everywhere during the entirety of her parties, but this time she was nowhere to be found. Without a host to decide when the party ends, it instead slowly dissipated as tired party-goers trickled out into the street. Mae and Bea were among the last to call it quits.

“I told you I could dance! You just weren't paying attention last time, clearly.”

"When you're right, you're right. Color me surprised. Though you got a little raunchy at the end there."

“Yeah well I was tired of dancing and I couldn't think of anything else. Whatever, I dance good.”

"You dance good."

“Lets go straight home, no stops. I wanna get there fast fast fast.”

"Eager, aren't you? I bet I can guess why."

“Hehehe, what can I say? You made me an offer I can't refuse~”

As the two made their way out into the street, Mae's ears twitched from an unusual sound. A whistle. She looked around and saw Jackie peeking out of a nearby alley, beckoning her. Bea didn't seem to hear it.

“Hey, could you wait by the car for a sec? I gotta pee.”

"Alright, but don't do it in public this time."

“Man if I knew peeing behind a dumpster was considered 'public urination', I probably could have avoided that $100 fine.”

Bea rolled her eyes and continued toward the car while Mae slipped into the alleyway. There she found Jackie, leaning against the brick wall, looking somber and contemplative.

“What do you want? Think of more insults to throw at me? Maybe mock my height for good measure?”

"Huh? No... no, nothing like that."

"Look... I wanted to apologize. About what I said. I didn't realize how much you meant to Bea. The way she defended you, the way she talked about how happy you make her... I've never seen her so passionate in a long, long time. I don't want to take that away from her."

“...”

"I don't know what she sees in you, but... clearly its something good. So... I'm sorry."

“Wow, uh... thanks. That's... I appreciate it.”

Jackie let out a deep sigh.

"God... I really effed things up between me and Bea, didn't I?"

“Yeah well... I messed things up a bunch of times too. But look at us now! Just uh, give her some time to cool off. I'm sure you can make it up to her. Probably.”

"I hope you're right."

"Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. You should get back to her."

“Right... yeah. Seeya.”

As she turned to leave, Jackie spoke one last time.

"Take care of her, alright? Don't screw it up."

“Yeah, no kidding. I've gotten this far, I can't afford to screw it up now.”

With that parting thought, she darted out of the alley towards Bea, having another smoke by the car. Jackie watched from a distance as the two met up once more. They looked happy.

"Wonder what they're talking about. Probably more lovey-dovey romance, heh."

“Hey Bea. Bea. Check this out, I’m about to blow your mind.”

“As if I have a choice.”

“You’re my girlfriend. Your name is Bea, B-E-A. Does that mean…”

“I swear to god you better not say it.”

“That you’re…”

“Shut up shut up shut uuuuuuuup.”

“ _MY BAE?!_ ”

“Holy shit I am leaving you here. I am so leaving you here. Goodbye. You’re walking home.”

“YOU LOVE ME THEREFORE YOU MUST ACCEPT ME AT MY WORST. INCLUDING MY PUNS.”

“…”

“Okay please don’t actually leave me, we’re like 30 miles from home."


End file.
